Fatherhood
by FirestormFury
Summary: Well over a year after making the Eternity Pledge, Firestorm has settled down with Atlantis, and is now expecting a son! However fate has other plans... This tale is Firestorm trying to deal with the aftermath of this event. Chapters will be somewhat short, can't guarantee big ones, but I'll try.
1. Miracle of Life

Chapter 1- From the eyes of a father to be.

My name is Firestorm, I'm a prince, I'm 4500 years old, I am the guardian of the elements of eternity, time, erasure, destruction, and renewal. Had it not been for a beautiful Alicorn called Atlantis, I would still be trapped in the prison, the catch, of using the most powerful weapon ever created. Realizing, once her memories were restored, she needed me in her life, I quickly came to her home town, and we kissed under the stars.

I remember that night well, I promised her I would stay with her forever, we would grow old together, like she wished. I disregarded my old life, my lineage, friends, everything, I was to start anew in Portshoof.

Within months of me moving in, we were married, and began our honeymoon, to the golden shores of Seaddle, that was the first time i made love to her, and it was incredible, if I didn't love her already, I was now completely certain. I was completely head over hoofs for Atlantis.

So it turned out, that Atlantis had conceived, at some point, we were both absolutely over the moon, I was going to be a father! Preparations began as to what he'd be called, who'd look after him when, did we need a foal sitter? We didn't know, so we just followed a book. Speak to the child, tell it stories. Atlantis took special relaxation sessions, to calm the child down as it grew.

Nine months later, A year and a half into our Marriage, and we were out in the market, when, her waters broke.

She was rushed into the hospital, I wasn't allowed to see her for a few days while they did preliminary tests or something, she didn't explain, but when I could come in, I sat next to her and we talked, calmly, mainly for her reassurance.

"How do you feel dear?"

"Nothing is happening at the moment" She said, I thought to myself, shouldn't she have gone into labour by now? Or was our child playing tricks on us.

Three days passed, nothing, they said is was slightly abnormal for waters to break early, but not completely unheard of. And then finally, she began having contractions, she was going into labour, she held my hoof as she writhed in pain, as she performed the miracle of life, sweat dripped off her forehead, as she kept on going, she was extremely resilliant.

Then with a final scream, there, a young Alicorn foal, I still hadn't come up with a name, then I noticed her breathing becoming shallow, I looked at her heart monitor. Her heart rate. It was dropping...

HR 50 Systolic

I began to catch on to what was happening

HR 40 Systolic

"What's happening?!" I shouted, the doctors didn't intervene.

HR 35 Systolic

"Do something! Her heart is slowing down!" I yelled, they held me back, she closed her eyes

HR 30 Systolic

"Firestorm" I heard her weakly whisper

HR 20 Systolic

"Take care"

HR 15 Systolic

"Of our"

HR 10 Systolic

"Child"

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Flat line... She was dead, and she didn't even get to see her child...


	2. Returning home

Chapter 2- Franklin and Bash

I couldn't believe it. My wife was dead, I just stood there in the ward, as tears ran down my face, looking at her cold body. They then covered her body with a sheet, put my child in the nursery, and sent her to the morgue. They then guided me to a waiting room, and I sat there, silently.

Hours passed, when I was finally brought back into focus.

"Your highness?"

"Yes?" I asked, my throat was dry and my voice was hoarse.

"Your son" The nurse said, as she handed me a young foal. He had a blue coat, and a black mane and tail, with a blue strike going through both, just like mine.

"He is amazing"

"Have you thought of a name sire?" she asked, she had a curiosity that i didn't expect from a nurse.

"Never did" I said slowly, as I stroked his mane, then I did a little thinking. Firestorm, Atlantis... A sea storm? No, that's terrible, he'd be mocked.

"Tempest" I said quietly.

"Excellent choice sire, will he have a royal christening?"

"Not sure I'm up for something so public right now nurse"

"I understand my liege, when your ready, he'll need to stay here for a few days" She said, as Tempest began to stir, I gently handed him over, and she smiled compassionately at me.

"Might I also add sir, a unicorn is here, he has a few documents from Atlantis I think you want to see"

"Whatever" I said, as I got up, and she walked back into the soundproof room, and placed Tempest in his crib.

As I walked down the cold quiet corridors, I then came to a lobby of sorts, where a well dressed unicorn was waiting.

"I believe you have something I want to see?" I said, getting straight to the point.

"I do sire, and my condolences, she was a wonderful Alicorn" He tried to say sympathetically, but didn't break his poker face.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Franklin, and my associate is called Bash" I twitched an eyebrow.

"Your associate?"

"Yes sire, we are solicitors, we've worked together for five years now"

"It's good to know my wife's wishes are in good hands then" I smiled, as a well dressed Pegasus came next to Franklin.

"Bash I presume?" I asked

"Yes sire" he said as I shook his hoof.

"Shall we get down to business?" I asked, and we went to a quiet room and sat down, Franklin took out a suitcase, containing a series of letters.

"These are a few letters she wrote, and she stated you could see when she passed" Bash said, as his partner opened the first letter.

"What do they contain?" I asked, eager to know.

"I cannot specify, the only time we met with your wife was when she gave us these letters, including her last wills and testaments" Bash said, and I frowned at them, they still kept straight faces, and Franklin began reading out the first letter.

"This first one was written while she was in hospital for the first few days" he then finished reading, and passed me the neatly folded parchment, I began reading it.

"My Husband

I was uncertain about this fact when I first conceived, but now I have medical proof, this birth will kill me. My body will not be able to handle the Del, as it'll be stronger than most fatal offensive magic, I have withheld this information because not only do I love you, but you deserve a son. This is a blow I cannot soften, I am sorry.

Atlantis"

I took a deep breath, and heavily sighed, as I handed the letter back to Franklin, he then placed it back into his suitcase.

"Do you wish to see her final wills and testaments?" Bash asked me, I looked up at him and quietly replied

"Give me a few months, I need to let this sink in"

"Of course your highness" Franklin said, and they both stood up, I did as well, I shook their hoofs and they left me to my thoughts.

The secretary waved as I went out the door of Heavens Pass. What an ironic name, it's how she finally got to Elysium.

It's a little known fact Heavens pass is more north than west of canterlot, and southwest of ponyville, my old home... I was told to stay in the local area until I can pick up tempest, so I suppose I can return to ponyville for a little while. I wasn't even informed when her funeral would be, but I quickly began making plans as I began to come closer to ponyville.

After a year and a half of absence from anywhere I was known as royalty, I changed my name to ensure Atlantis and I weren't found, I was Lord Shadowfury of Portshoof. And that's who I was to the locals, but here, I'm firestorm once again, good thing it's late, I'll just walk back into inferno mansion.

I passed a tree or two on the way home, and they were signs, with a picture of me on it, they said:

Have you seen this Alicorn?

He went missing a few days ago without a trace. His name is firestorm.

If you find him, he lives in ponyville, a generous reward awaits you.

500,000 bits to be exact.

(Shit, what was I thinking?! What am I saying, this was the best year and a half of my life! I can live with these sort of consequences!)

I unlocked the door with my horn and it clicked and I opened it slowly, it was dark, but everything was pristine, it was just how I left it. I closed the door and locked it, i soon heard the clopping of hoofsteps on the staircase, it was none other than my faithful servant, silver. He lit his horn and I did mine, I began walking up to him.

"Sir?" he asked, before I tightly hugged him.

"Im back Silver" I quivered, I then broke away and began walking round the room slowly.

"Sire, it's been well over a year"

"Silver, I got married, and I have a child awaiting discharge in Heavens Pass, this was the closest place I knew of where I can wait out" he then reached for the phone to inform my friends.

"This is wonderful news sire, I must tell Pinkie, she'll happily throw a party" He began to dial before I slammed the phone back down.

"No silver, it's more complex than that" I said, he then went into the kitchen, made me my favorite, strawberries and melted milk chocolate, and we sat down.

"Tell me sire?" he asked tentatively.

"My wife died in childbirth"

"I'm so sorry sire"

"I have begun plans for a funeral, and was hoping you'd be able to help"

"Seems a bit early"

"Silver, I want to send her off soon, I'll call the hospital in the morning and have them return her to Portshoof"

"Whatever you say sire" he said, as we continued to eat the strawberries and I filled him in on my life in Portshoof.


	3. Attempts to Forget

Chapter 3- Reintergration

Celestia's sun rose into the sky, and straight onto my bed, it stirred me from my dreamless slumber, I felt slightly refreshed as I got out of my covers, and placed on a black dressing gown, and I was just about to head downstairs, when I saw a familiar set of Armor in the corner. The four elements of Eternity. Time, Destruction, Erasure, and Renewal. I shivered as I remembered who helped me get them. My wife...

I shook off the memories as I went downstairs, to see silver had made breakfast, he looked at me and smiled.

"Breakfast sir"

"Thanks silver" I said as we sat down and began eating in silence, he then broke the silence, catching me off guard.

"Will you be returning to Portshoof after picking your child?"

"Not straight away, I'm going to hire Cadence to take care of him, while I take care of Atlantis' funeral"

"Excellent idea sire, when do you want me to call her?"

"In a few days, by the way, could you call Rainbow and Soarin?" I asked as we finished eating, he then pulled his chair out, and went over to the telephone and began dialing. I sighed as I picked the plates up and placed them in the dishwasher. And sat down and waited.

A few hours passed, then the door knocked, I went and opened the door to see the now engaged couple that was rainbow dash, and Soarin.

"Firestorm! Oh my Celestia! It's so good to see you again!" she said excitedly as she hugged me tightly, she broke off and Soarin then came and tapped me twice on the shoulder, and I invited them in, rainbow sat on a perch, I remember me and her installing that, because she used to regularly visit, and wanted a special furniture piece for pegasi. So naturally I complied.

"Firestorm, it's been a year and a half since we last saw you, where in equestria have you been?" Rainbow asked as she shuffled on her perch

"I've been living in Portshoof, with my late wife" I sighed, rainbow gasped, and stared at me with awe.

"Since when were you married?"

"Over the past year" I said quietly.

"Late?"

"Died in childbirth" I muttered as a tear ran down my face, it then dripped off and splattered to the floor.

"I'm really sorry mate"

"Don't worry Soarin, she's happy in Elysium, that's all that matters"

"You said she died in childbirth?" Rainbow asked curiously.

"I'm a father Dashie" I said, in a manner that implied I was totally devastated. In fact, I was devastated Tempest would never have a mother figure in his life.

"Oh god stormy"

"No it's okay" I spluttered between tears, as rainbow and Soarin, hugged me tightly, their warm embrace was comfort at a time I seriously needed it.

"Can we go see 'Shy and Mac?" I asked, almost as if I was a child once again.

"Sure, whatever you want" Soarin said, as we walked out the door, I wiped my eyes with my hoof, and began slowly walking through the town, not smiling or speaking to anypony, I suddenly perked up when I noticed something peculiar about rainbow, her barrel was flat.

"Just before I left, I remember you were pregnant rainbow, but, I see no child" I said curiously, a streak of sadness shot across her face briefly enough for me to see it.

"I had a miscarriage, and also, we don't feel ready" I drew back, surprised.

"I'm sorry"

"it's okay, that's life I suppose" she said, as I looked back to the road, to see we were already at Fluttershy's cottage, just on the edge of the everfree forest. I knocked on the door, once, twice, three times, and the shy pegasus opened the door.

"Oh my word, Is that you Firestorm?"

"It is Fluttershy" I said, as I hugged her gently.

"Come in come in, but please stay quiet"

"Nothing changes" I smiled as she invited the three of us in, and I looked around her cottage, almost as if I had never come here before, I then sat down quietly as Fluttershy made some tea, brought it through, and gave us each a cup, poured us some, and we started talking.

"Fill me in 'Shy, how are things with you and Mac?" I asked, trying to forget why I came here.

"Well we had our honeymoon in Baltimare, and I got pregnant a few months later. And now, I have a daughter upstairs, having her morning nap" she said, as she straightened out her necklace. It was the same one I gave her, as a gift from terra rafira.

"What's her name?"

"Flitter Jazz"

"That's wonderful" I said, as we continued talking for the best part of the morning.

By about half two, we waved Fluttershy goodbye and walked back into to town, but I wasn't having any of the publicity, so I decided to get some business done.

"Where are you going Storm?"

"Hospital"

"Do you want us to come with you?" Soarin asked me.

"Yeah, let's go" I sighed as I hailed down a carriage, and we all got in.

"Where to?" the driver asked.

"Heaven's Pass"

At the Hospital.

I walked in the sliding doors, and nodded to the receptionist pony, who was surprised to see me.

"Welcome back Prince Firestorm"

"I'm coming here way too often" I sighed, and she gave me a note, leading me to the Morgue. Rainbow and Soarin followed me as I walked briskly through the winding corridors that made up the rat maze of Heaven's Pass.

I then met some doctors, who were standing outside the morgue.

"Welcome sire" one of the younger ones said.

"Hello" I said quietly, I then saw through the glass, they lifted the sheet off my wife's body, then I looked to the left and saw their tools, sharp, and frightening, no way were they going to do anything to her, I charged through the door, and slammed the tools to the ground.

"Get the fuck off her! She isn't a fucking Cadaver!" I screamed as I was grabbed by two doctors.

"Prince, we need to know cause of death"

"I know what it is!" I yelled, Soarin and rainbow then came to my side, and made the other doctors take their hoofs off me.

"Care to tell us?"

"Her body was frail and weak, the pain of giving birth was too great, that's what killed her" I began to quiver as tears began to well up in my ducts, rainbow then began rubbing my shoulder to attempt to comfort me.

"We're sorry we were so insensitive firestorm, what do you want us to do with her?"

"I want you to take her body to ponyville" I told them as they placed the sheet over her again

"But storm-" rainbow interjected

"I want to cremate her" and I walked away.


	4. Wherever You Are

Chapter 4- Can't let go

AN: Listen to "Wherever you Are" watch?v=JWuhkV7aIto&list=FL-Djlx9JfWJLKLrLst8sTpg&index=1&feature=plpp_video

in this chapter, for the best effect. Okay, to the story...

It was a few days later, and I was sitting with my Ex-Marefriend, Twilight Sparkle, in her library, she was visiting because it was the summer and had a break from teaching in canterlot. And I told her the entire story.

"Oh firestorm" she said as she pulled me into a tight hug, and I rested into her. Part of me hated this smothering of affection from my friends, but part of me demanded it.

"What's done is done twilight, I've asked the hospital to allow me to burn her"

"Don't you want her buried like everypony else?"

"I want her with me always. I can have her ashes infused"

"Whatever you wish" she said, as she began to lean in to kiss me. I then pulled back and she looked at me.

"Twilight, what are you doing?"

"I, uh.." she stuttered, I then got up, and started shouting

"We broke up because of a demon, and now I'm a widower you think you have another chance?"

"No! It's just-"

"It's just WHAT?"

"I still love you firestorm" she whispered, I felt a little spark shoot through me, and my rage cooled down.

"Twilight, after what's transpired in the past week, I'm not sure I'll open my heart again" I said calmly as I took her chin with my hoof, as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"I'm sorry" she spluttered as she began to cry, I then pulled her into a gentle hug, and she wept into my shoulder.

"That doesn't mean I don't love you as a friend" I said, as I kissed her forehead. And she looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears, and smiled a nervous smile.

"Thank you" she whispered as she rested her head into my chest. We then just sat there, as time passed, and she cried her pain away.

Days passed, and we finally readied her cremation, something we hadn't done in ponyville for some centuries now, the moon was out. The logs were piled high, and Atlantis' body was placed at the heart of the structure. Those who RVSP'd stood just a few meters behind me, and my friends, who all had something to say. First was twilight.

"From what Firestorm said about you, you will never be missed Atlantis" and she placed a blue flower at the base. Then AJ spoke up.

"Atlantis, mah family will still sell to your town in your honor, as you were the one that brought me to your home. We miss you" and she placed another flower at the base. Then it was rainbow's turn.

"You made Firestorm so happy Atlantis. Thank you" and she set down one more. Then Pinkie spoke. Her mane limp, and flat

"Sleep well" She said, as tears ran down her face, some splashing onto the flower as she set it next to Rainbow's. I then gave her a small hug to try and calm her down, and she settled down as Rarity stepped forward.

"Thank you for making our Friend Happy" she said as a flower was set down next to pinkie's. And Fluttershy placed hers down, without a word. I then let my horn start to be engulfed in flames.

"Goodbye my sweet, I'll never forget you" I said, as I placed my horn to the pile, and it began to take, I cut off my fire, as her fire began to grow strong. And finally hit her body. I winced for a second, and then looked at the fire, as it lit up the street around us and we all watched, as she departed from this world.

There were refreshments, so those who stayed, they ate, and watched me. I just stood there, as the fire remained strong, resilient like she was...

3:24AM

"I've hung a wish, on every star, it hasn't done much good so far" I sung between tears, as I continued to watch the fire.

"I'm empty and I'm cold, and my hearts about to break, come and find me" I continued, then my friends stood next to me, and smiled at me.

"Try from the beginning" Fluttershy said, as her bird friends made a small formation, and began singing the introduction.

"Come out moon

Come out wishing star

Come out

Come out

Wherever you are" I sung, then twilight and rainbow joined in

"I'm out here in the dark

All alone and wide awake

Come and find me

I'm empty and I'm cold

And my heart's about to break

Come and find me" they smiled, and they broke off for me to sing the chorus

"I need you to come here and find me

Cause without you I'm totally lost

I've hung a wish on every star

It hasn't done much good so far

I can only dream of you

Wherever you are" I spluttered, then flutter and her birds joined with me.

"I'll hear you laugh

I'll see you smile

I'll be with you just for a while

But when the morning comes

And the sun begins to rise

I will lose you" I sighed. Then pinkie joined me

"Because it's just a dream

When I open up my eyes

I will lose you" we sung, as the rest joined in for the last chorus

"I use to believe in forever

But forever is to good to be true

I've hung a wish on every star

It hasn't done much good so far" they then broke off for me and rarity to do the last verse.

"I don't know what else to do

Except to try to dream of you

And wonder if you are dreaming too

Wherever you are" they stepped away as the fire died down.

"Wherever you are" I cried. And they all hugged me, as the fire began to reduce to cinders. I then looked up at the sky, as a new star appeared, and I knew it was her...

"Storm, do you want some time alone?" Twilight asked me. I looked at her, with watery eyes.

"No, I don't want to be alone, please stay with me guys" I said, and they nodded, and they went to get some food. And I sat by the dead fire. And fell asleep.


End file.
